There was a time waaaaay back when our farmhouse had three staircases. By the time we bought this house, there were two sets and the third had been made into a broom closet, and a clothing closet was put in a bedroom upstairs.
I’m all for keeping my mop, Swiffer sheets, and wipes out of sight, but a closet in the kitchen, I felt, was too valuable of real estate to occupy. Plus, my beloved cookbooks needed a home. That broom closet was a no-brainer. Built-in bookcase would be a perfect solution for that spot.
My first step was to remove the door. Mr. Mop and gear found a new home off the beaten path. Then, I removed the shelf and all of the hooks and I cleaned the entire area with TSP. I went to Lowe’s and picked up some 2×4’s, MDF, and beadboard.
I cut the 2×4’s to size and fit them to the sides of the area. Using leftover paint from the kitchen cabinets, I decided to paint the beadboard first before I installed, thinking that would make things easier. And it did. Some touchups were necessary, but only minor.
After I installed the beadboard, I painted the perimeter of the area. Then, I measured one of my tallest cookbooks and determined how far apart I wanted the shelves, which also determined how many shelves I would be able to fit in the space. I cut the shelves and painted them first as well, before installing.
Now I’m in business. I have always wanted all of my cookbooks to be housed in the kitchen, and now they are. I enjoyed figuring out where I wanted each book to go. I set out to replace the lavender with a light fixture of some sort, and I found just what I had in mind. Along with the light fixture, this bookcase adds a nice home-y feeling to that corner of the kitchen. I am happy.
What is your favorite cookbook? I am anxious to hear!!